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What a douche
Michael Melnitzky is a 69-year-old who has “become something of a fixture” in the Lower Manhattan federal courthouse. Back in 1994, the former art expert become involved in a fun little suit when his wife filed for divorce. And now, 13 years later, he’s been involved as a pro se litigant in a whole rash of cases, both related and unrelated to the divorce (although most were related to the divorce and are tied to a collection of 750 watches, valued at $500,000, which his wife went after in the divorce).
He has sued virtually everyone involved [in the divorce]: one of his former lawyers, his wife’s lawyer, three banks, five judges and a psychiatrist appointed by the court to evaluate his mental health. In unrelated cases, he has sued a neighbor, a thrift shop, the city and his former employer. And he has almost always lost.
Five judges? What the Christ?
Melnitzy is basically like a warped version of Dr. Sam Beckett from “Quantum Leap,” saying that he’s simply trying to right the wrongs that these folks have done to him.
The question is: Is Mr. Melnitzky’s record of litigation a test of a flawed system [he claims that the system is “intolerant of pro se litigants”], or obsessive abuse of the courts. “I used to be an art restorer,” he says. “Now I’m a litigator. If you’re going to attack me or assault me on a legal front, and I don’t hit back, I would feel dishonerable with myself.”
I don’t doubt that the system is harder for pro se litigants (the one time I was involved in a case against a pro se litigant, the poor bastard hit hurdles and screwed things up every step of the way), but in this instance, I’m going to say it’s obsessive abuse. I mean, he sued five judges!
(Hat tip to Overlawyered)
